Twin solution for water crisis in tsunami-inundated lands

Port Blair, May 31 (UNI) To solve the acute water crisis in the Southern region of Andaman and Nicobar islands, the administration has come out with the twin solution to increase the height of the dam and make a new reservoir by construction of mud wall separating the tsunami-inundated landed area and the sea.

The height of Dhanikhari Dam in South Andaman is low therefore storage capacity of the reservoir is poor which leads to shortages in dry summers. The administration as such plans to increase the height of the dam by four metres to enhance the storage capacity.

'' We are planning to use the sea water inundated area for storing rainwater after constructing sea wall,'' South Andaman Deputy Commissioner K S Singh told UNI today.

The dam, which is known as the lifeline of this union territory, can store 11,440 lakh gallons of water for supply to the city for 150 days if there is no rainfall and the reservoir is full.

At present Port Blair requires around 58 lakh gallons of water everyday while 30 per cent water goes as waste as per the the official figures.

A vast area was inundated by sea water since the tsunami struck this archipelago in 2004.

''If we construct a mud wall between sea and these lands, we will get a huge water reservoir,''Mr Singh said.

The engineers of APWD have plans to take up only the inundated land in Sippighat area of South Andaman.

Experts of APWD believe that after one or two heavy rainfall, when these newly created water reservoir would overflow, salt dissolved in water would be flushed out into sea and fresh water will be left behind for future use.

''With the newly created water body we will be able to store more than the Dhanikhari Dam, which will be enough to cater all local need,'' Andaman Public Work Department Superintending Engineer B N Malhotra told UNI here today.

Meanwhile, the Andaman administration have already held a meeting of farmers, who own the inundated land, for acquisition under government rules.

The APWD is also planning to raise the height of the dam by four metres, which would further increase the water storage capacity.

''By raising the height, the storage capacity of the Dam will be increased by 70 per cent, the Deputy Commissioner said.

South Andamans region, especially Port Blair, is facing water crisis for the last many years but this year it is acute.

The administration had recently decided to stop water supply through pipe-lines from June 6 due to low gravity pressure in Dhanikhari Dam, the lone Dam of South Andaman.

People living in South Andaman will be supplied water only through tankers on head count basis from June 6, under the supervision of politicians, revenue officials and armed police personnel to prevent water riots.

Earlier the idea of administration to distribute water according to head count had come under heavy criticism from political parties of all hues, particularly the local Congress MP, Manoranjan Bhakta taking a dig on this modality of water distribution.

Meanwhile, the CPI(M) yesterday held a demonstration in front of the Port Blair Municipal Council building and condemned the administration for the water crisis.

UNI